Georgian Parliament Speaker says foreign envoys free to engage with radical groups but should accept Government reaction

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday commented on the secret meetings between Olivier Courteaud, the French Ambassador to the country, and the opposition figure Sergi Kapanadze, the head of the Georgian Reform Association, by saying that while ambassadors are free to hold personal or official contacts with any groups, including radical ones, they must also accept that such meetings may elicit comments or reactions from Georgian authorities.

In his remarks, Papuashvili noted that if the French Ambassador wished to hold such meetings, that was his choice, but he “should not be surprised by the reactions or statements that follow”.

“This is not a one-way street, it is a two-way street. If an ambassador wants personal or official contact with radical groups, that is their freedom - they can meet. But they must also accept that we will have our comments or reactions, depending on who participates”, he said.

“He met only with media affiliated with the radical opposition. This, too, shows a selective approach. That is his right, his choice. It is also part of the Vienna Convention that an ambassador can meet whomever they wish. But no one should be upset if we make a statement about it. These are the rules of fair play”, the Speaker continued.

Papuashvili further stressed the importance of transparency, and added that it would have been significant for this type of contact to be transparent.

“However, that is his choice. The more secretive it is, the more questions it raises”, he concluded.